Hot-air engine



Aug. 17,1926. l y 1,596,543

J. Kor-:N16

HOT AIR ENGINE Filed April 15, 1925 z'sneezs-Snee. 1

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gg Jus Epl-L Koenig Patented ug. 17, 1926.

JOSEPH KOENIG, OF MANITOWOC, WISCONSIN. f

HOT-AIR ENGINE.

Application led April 13, 1925. Serial No. 22,682.

This invention relates to hot air engines.

Objects of this invention are to provide a hot air engine which has aminimum num.- ber of stuing boxes or other similar parts likely to causeleaking or subject to wear, which is substantially enclosed as to the orportion of its structure, which may be readily placed under initialcompression, which may be made in any desirable size, and which issubstantially `fool proof in operation.

Further objects are to providea hot air engine in which a high degree ofefficiency is attained, in which quick interchanges of heat are secured,and which is automatic in its operation, and may be controlled by aspeed responsive governor, if desired, to in` sure a smooth and uniformaction of the engine. v

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a plan view partly in section of the engine.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1 with theair treating cylinders in vertical section.

Referring to the drawingsl particularly Figure 1, it will be seen thatthe engine comprises a working cylinder 1 within which 30 is a piston 2provided with a piston rod 3.

This piston rod projects through a stufng box 1 adapted to receivepacking and also oil under pressure in accordance with the well knownpractice.

The outer end of the piston rod is secured to the cross head 5 which isconnected by means of a pitman 6 with a crank pin 7 rigidly carried bythe main shaft 8. A fly wheel 9 of any suitable weight is rigidlysecured to the shaft and it is to be noted further from reference toFigure 1, that a governor 10 is also carried directly by the shaft andoscillates a controlling rod 1l hereinafter described in greater detail.

From Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that the working cylinder 1 ispreferably mounted upwardly above the base 12 and approximately half waybetween the air treating cylinders indicated generally at A and B. Theseair treating cylinders are identical in construction and are connectedwith opposite ends of the work cylinder 1 in a similar manner as willappear as the description proceeds, only one of the cylinders need,therefore, be described.

,the cylinders 22 Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that thecylinders are. each provided with a main cylinder portion or shellA 12which is equipped with an outer head 13 and with an limer head 14. lt isto be noted that the shell extends to adjacent the rear of the deviceand is provided with an inturned or inwardly extending smaller shell 15which extends to the inner cylinder head 111.

4A stationary sleeve 16 is rigidly carried by the head 13 and slidablyreceives the elongated piston 17, such piston being rigidlyl attached toa piston rod 18 which in turn is guided through the plug 19. Preferably,the piston 17 is provided with a heat insulating lining 20, as indicatedin Figure 2. The rear end of the piston rod 18 is provided with arelatively small piston 21 which slides within a small cylinder 22,.

It is to be noted from Figure 2 that the cylinders 22 are connected bymeans of a pipe or conduit 23 and that these cylinders are preferablyiilled with a liquid such for instance as oil. The purpose of thisconstruction is to insure simultaneous and reverse operations of thepistons 17, as indicated in Figure 2, and it is obvious that thevoil inwill secure this reverse operation.

It is to be noted fromv Figures 1 and 2 that the working cylinder 1 hasa relatively large which extends to an annular chamber 25 surroundingthe ends of each of the cylinders A and B. These annular chamberscommunicate directly with the cylinders through the `space between thestationary sleeve 16 and the outer shell 12.

A pair of smaller pipes 26 extend from opposite. ends of the cylinder 1to the forward ends of the small cylinders 22.

It is to bey noted from reference to Figure 2 that the lower end of thecylinders A and B are provided with water jackets 27 so that such rearends are chilled at alltimes. y

It is to be noted particularly fromreference to Figure 2 that aplurality of heating pipes 28 extend from one portion of the annularchannel or chamber 5 into the forward end of the cylinder on adiametrically opposed side. These pipes are adapted to be heated in anysuitable manner, and may, if desired, be enclosed by a casing 29 tohouse the heating iiame of a burner 29 (see Figpipe at each end, asindicatedl at 24, f

ure 1) or similar member, the products of combustion passing out of theaperture 29 shownin Figure 2.

1n operation, th-e system is preferably placed under compressionmeans-.- ozh the valves 30, `as shown in Figure 1, which are adapted tobe connected to any suitable source of air pressure. ln addition tothis, it is preferable to supply a high pressure to one side or'V thepiston 2 to turn the engine over when starting.

Consider l'or example, the condition when the piston Q, is approachingtlierear endoi its strole, the air is discharged from the cylinder 1into one or the cylinder A. This air passes intothe annular chamber 25and Jrom thence rearwardly between the wal 1 and thestationary sleeve*16v and past the cool end o't'- the cylinder where it isV chilledy andcontractedl As the pist-en 2L more closely approaches the limit el itsstroke, pressure builds upr ahead o the piston 2' andistransmittedthrough the pipe 25 tothe cylinder 22 associated with the cylinder A andthus causes the rearward travel of the piston 21 of such cylinder and'the 'forward travel of the small piston in the other cylinder. Thiscauses a similar motion of the piston 1T. When the piston 17. ot thecylinder A travels rearwardly it :tor-ces the air in a revers-edirection between the shell' 132iand the'sleeve 16 and through theheated pipes 28, such airbeingdischarged in aY heated. conditionforwardly oli the piston l?. This air is, therefore, quickly heated andexpands and lorces the piston 2' in a reversedirection. QbViOusly, asthe piston 2i travels in areverse direction the airis passed trom theend ot the cylinder which the pistonis approaching, into the cylinder-B, of theair treating portion ofy theapparatus, and1 is chilled),vas-previously described. However, as the end of the stroke isapproached, the pistons 17 are moved ink a reverse direction withconsequent reverseoperatio-n of the piston 2, as previously described.

It is to be notedV that when the pistonA 17 is in its outermost positionadjacent the head 13th-at has expelled the Ihotairthrough the tubes/28into the cold end ci; the cylinder, through the passage between the'casing 12 and the .sleeve 16. However, whenthe piston 17-'is in itsrearmost position, as show-rr for the cylinder B, air has been orced ina reverse directionA through the heated pipes, into the hot end of thecylinder` B, through the' same passages in a reverse direction from theYcylinder A.

1n order to prov-ide for-.automaticcontrol or the engine, the rockingshalt 11 from the governor is provided with a valveA 31 (see Figure 2)-which controls communication between the cylinders A. andI B. Obviously,if theY governor operates due toAV excessive speed, the

annulary chambers of ythe pressure in the two cylinders A and B isallowed tey partly equalize, and consequently the eect of thesecylinders is reduced temporarily and the .speed or the enginedecreased.`

It will be seen that an extremely simple type of hot air engine has beenprovided which is ciiicient in operation, which is devoid ol' valveswith the exception of the governor valve, and in which the workingpartsare enclos-ed" with the single' exception of the worlri-ng' pistonrod 3 which ente-nds through a packinggla-nd'. There is, therelore, averyv small chance of leakage in this system and" consequently aneffective opera-- tion is maintained.

Although theinvention has been described inv considerablev detail, it isto bel understood that the invention-'may be variously embodiedg and is,therefore, to he limited only as claimed. f

1 claim:

1l. A hot air engine comprising a' working cylinder, a piston mountedltherein, a pair of cylinders connected with. opposite ends of sai-dworking cylinder, each or said pair or cylinders having air circulatingpistons therein provided! withv pis-ton rods, and having heating andcooling means, a pain oit auxiliary cylinders into which said pistonrods project, pistons litting said? auxiliary cylinders and carried bysaid pistony rods, said auxiliary cylinders containing aL l-ifqui'd andhaving' their-outer ends connected, and means whereby the syst-emv maybe; placed under initial compression.

2. rh hot air enginev comprising a worlring cylinder, a pistony mounted"therein, a pair of' cy 7linders connectedI with opposite ends of saidwork-ing cylinder, each or" said pair ot cylinders having aircirculatingV pistons thereinprovided with piston rods and having heatingand cool-ing means, a' pair of auxiliary cylinders into which said'-piston rods project, pistons htting saidi auxiliary cylinders andcarried by said:` piston rods, said auxiliary cylinders containing ailiquid and having their outer ends connected, and pipes connecting saidauxiliary cylinders with opposite Aends of saidlworlting cylinder.

3. A hotv air engine comprising' a working cylinder', apair of airconditioning cylinders having at one end extern-all heated mea-nsthrough which the air is adapted tob pass, said pair" o'f'cylindershavingj tl'reother ends cooled, pistons within saidV pair of cylindersand controlling the flow or air' through said heating means, meansconnect-ing opposite ends o said. working cylinderv with said pair ofcylinders, the working# piston for operating` theA pistons inthe airconditioning cylinders.Y

t'. A hot air engine comprising' a: working cylinder, a pair of airconditioningcylinders having atl one end external heated means and meanscontrolled by through Which the air is adapted to pass, said pair ofcylinders having the other ends cooled, pistons within said pair ofcylinders and controlling the Iiow of air through said heating means,means connecting opposite ends of said Working cylinder with said pairof cylinders, means controiled by the Working piston for operating thepistons in the air conditioning cylinders, rotary means driven from theWorking piston, a governor operatedby said rotary means, and-a valveoperated by said governor and controlling interoommunication of saidpair of cylinders.

5. A hot air engine comprising a pair of air cylinders each havingclosed ends, a sleeve carried by one end and projecting into thecylinder and 'spaced from the Walls thereof, an annular chambersurrounding such end of the cylinder and communicating With the spacebetween said sleeve and the cylinder Walls, a plurality of heated pipesextending from the annular chamber and opening through the head of thecylinder, a piston mounted Within each cylinder and fitting Within saidsleeve, cooling means for each cylinder remote from the heating pipes, aWorking cylinder having opposite ends connected With the annularchambers of said pair of cylinders, a Working piston Within said Workingcylinder, and means controlled by said Working piston for controllingthe position of the iirst mentioned pistons.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand atManitowoc, in the county of Manitowoc and State ot' Wisconsin.

' JOSEPH KOENIG.

